Glenn Ashmore wrote:

"Nicholas B" wrote in message
...

Meranti...

Use it if you will. But remember that your boat is contributing to
deforestation in Borneo. Your pleasure... will be at someone's cost.

Nicholas

Then there is Okoume which comes
almost exclusively from Gabon. The Dutch, Israeli and Chinese logging
operations there are opening up primeval forest to settlement and are only
giving lip service to replanting.

According to Shelman Marine, a major manufacturer of okoume plywood,
nearly all of the okoume on the market comes from plantation grown
trees. It seems that whatever old growth okoume there is on the market
is a by product of development, not of deliberate logging.

It's tough to be completely "green" and build a boat. The wood comes
from, hopefully, tree farms but there's always the risk it's from
deforrestation.

Resin, poly, vinyl, or epoxy, is a petroleum based product.

Glues, nails, foam, fiberglass, etc, can all be linked back to some
process that isn't environmentally friendly.

Best one can do is buy their materials from companies that reduce the
impact on the environment...or at least claim to. Bit of a leap of faith.




Glenn Ashmore wrote:
"Nicholas B" wrote in message
...

Meranti...

Use it if you will. But remember that your boat is contributing to
deforestation in Borneo. Your pleasure... will be at someone's cost.

Nicholas


Well, you have a few alternatives. Meranti is just another name of a high
grade of Luan. At least luan is a fast growing family of species and is
rapidly being planted all around SE Asia. Then there is Okoume which comes
almost exclusively from Gabon. The Dutch, Israeli and Chinese logging
operations there are opening up primeval forest to settlement and are only
giving lip service to replanting. Mahogany is impossible to get any more.
There is always spruce and fir but the Shrub is opening up our national
forests to strip that out so that the oil companies can start drilling.
That leaves Southern yellow pine which makes a very poor and heavy boat
building wood.

So if you want to be an ecco-boatbuilder it boils down to using a vastly
inferior domestic pine plywood, a slightly better spruce and rip up our own
National Forests, a good light boat in okoume and help destroy the forests
in Gabon or use luan/meranti and let some SE Asians make an honest living
planting and harvesting trees.

Matt Langenfeld ) writes:
It's tough to be completely "green" and build a boat. The wood comes
from, hopefully, tree farms but there's always the risk it's from
deforrestation.

I dont' think eastern white cedar is a problem.
It's a bit of a weed species. Grows pretty fast.
It's used here for fencing and backyard decks.
People plant if as an evergreen hedge around their yards.

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From everything I can find plantations are almost insignificant in Gabon's
Okoume production. About 60% of Gabon's forests are under logging
concessions. (12,000,000 hectares of a total 22,000,000) So far I can
find data on only 12 plantations totaling about 800,000 hectares. The
oldest of which is about 18 years old and just starting its first major
harvest.

Don't get me wrong. I am no tree hugger and intend to continue using my
share of okoume where it is called for but it is always a good idea to know
where your wood comes from and how it is effecting the local economy and
ecosystem.

"Brian Nystrom" wrote in message
...

According to Shelman Marine, a major manufacturer of okoume plywood,
nearly all of the okoume on the market comes from plantation grown
trees. It seems that whatever old growth okoume there is on the market
is a by product of development, not of deliberate logging.

Northern White Cedar (Thuja Canadensis, I think) is available but it can
be difficult to find such wood that is high enough quality to plank a
boat.(Unless you know where to look.)
But there is plenty of it growing in Northern New England and Southern
Quebec. I'd say it is one of the SLOWER growing softwoods. At least here.
I'm not sure what Eastern White Cedar is. My USDA WOOD BOOK doesn't
mention it. There is another type of cedar growing along the east coast
generally called Atlantic white cedar. I think the latin name is
Juniprus Virginiana. Both trees are often confused with Arbor Vitae,
often used as an ornamental fence row.
I have planted white cedar in rows around my place as a hedge though.

Either woods makes great boat planking but are generally too soft for
framing. These woods are not generally available at retail places like
Home Despot.
but there's always the risk it's from
deforrestation.
The white cedar I have access to is cut by people who are well aware of
the dangers of over harvsting and seem to do a pretty good job of
managing their logging operations with the long haul in mind. This is
about the "greenest" place on earth politically and environmentally.
(Green Mountains, Vermont)
It may be hard for some who live in urban areas to believe that there
are still areas left that have not been paved over. So I'd have to agree
with William and would not feel guilty about using White cedar.
Now,Mahogany....that's another story. bubinga and gaboon..well who knows?




William R. Watt wrote:
Matt Langenfeld ) writes:

It's tough to be completely "green" and build a boat. The wood comes
from, hopefully, tree farms but there's always the risk it's from
deforrestation.


I dont' think eastern white cedar is a problem.
It's a bit of a weed species. Grows pretty fast.
It's used here for fencing and backyard decks.
People plant if as an evergreen hedge around their yards.

--
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William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
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We call it "Swamp Juniper" around the South. It grows in the wetlands of
North Carolina and South Georgia and tou are correct taht boat grade white
cedar is hard to find. It is definitely not made into plywood. I had 3
loggers looking for good logs when I started Rutu. Finally found a prime
log in Caro,GA and a second in Nags Head.

"steveJ" wrote in message
...
Northern White Cedar (Thuja Canadensis, I think) is available but it can
be difficult to find such wood that is high enough quality to plank a
boat.(Unless you know where to look.)
But there is plenty of it growing in Northern New England and Southern
Quebec. I'd say it is one of the SLOWER growing softwoods. At least here.
I'm not sure what Eastern White Cedar is. My USDA WOOD BOOK doesn't
mention it. There is another type of cedar growing along the east coast
generally called Atlantic white cedar. I think the latin name is
Juniprus Virginiana. Both trees are often confused with Arbor Vitae,
often used as an ornamental fence row.
I have planted white cedar in rows around my place as a hedge though.

Either woods makes great boat planking but are generally too soft for
framing. These woods are not generally available at retail places like
Home Despot.
but there's always the risk it's from
deforrestation.
The white cedar I have access to is cut by people who are well aware of
the dangers of over harvsting and seem to do a pretty good job of
managing their logging operations with the long haul in mind. This is
about the "greenest" place on earth politically and environmentally.
(Green Mountains, Vermont)
It may be hard for some who live in urban areas to believe that there
are still areas left that have not been paved over. So I'd have to agree
with William and would not feel guilty about using White cedar.
Now,Mahogany....that's another story. bubinga and gaboon..well who knows?




William R. Watt wrote:
Matt Langenfeld ) writes:

It's tough to be completely "green" and build a boat. The wood comes
from, hopefully, tree farms but there's always the risk it's from
deforrestation.


I dont' think eastern white cedar is a problem.
It's a bit of a weed species. Grows pretty fast.
It's used here for fencing and backyard decks.
People plant if as an evergreen hedge around their yards.

--

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Matt Langenfeld wrote:

Best one can do is buy their materials from companies that reduce the
impact on the environment...

....and build durable boats that will last for decades.

Brian Nystrom ) writes:
Matt Langenfeld wrote:

Best one can do is buy their materials from companies that reduce the
impact on the environment...

...and build durable boats that will last for decades.


that's an enviable sentiment, unfortunately people's intitial enthusiasm
over recreational boating usually doesn't last and the boats become
neglected. the urban and rual shorelines where I paddle are littered with
neglected dirty boats. in that respect a lot of wood that goes into
recreational boats is wasted, no matter what the quality of material or
construction. there should be a better way of utilizing scarce resources.
I think the more money people have to spend on recreation, the more rare
and expensive materials will be wasted. Perhaps those of us who build
small and cheap using recyled materials are on a better environmental
path.

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"Mike" wrote in message
...
Can you use any kind of plywood for boatbuilding ort does it have to be
marine ply? Surely if you are planning on glassing and painting a plywood
hull it wouldn't really matter?


The plans for the boat I'm building call for ACX. I now wish I used
something else because I'm getting tired of filling the unfinished side.

-Scott Roper

Maybe someone out there knows what the trade name of this plywood is, but I
was recently talking to a guy restoring a 1953 sail boat and on the deck he
was using the plywood that they use for the large billboard signs. It is
made to withstand weather after all. Cheaper than marine plywood too. Says
its not the first time he used it (not on the same boat either).


"Mike" wrote in message
...
Can you use any kind of plywood for boatbuilding ort does it have to be
marine ply? Surely if you are planning on glassing and painting a plywood
hull it wouldn't really matter?